Oct 6, 2010

You needn't have a meat grinder to make sausage. Simply buy some bulk (country) sausage and season it to your liking.

These delicious appetizers traditionally are served with lemon wedges and toast points on a bed of lettuce. Better still is to make Italian-style bruschetta, brushing baguette slices with olive oil and drying them in a low-heat oven until they are crisp.

Directions

Combine the oysters and sausage in a mixing bowl, then add the egg yolk and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and your choice of herbs to taste; mix well. Pinch off a little piece of the sausage and fry in a dry skillet so you can check the level of seasoning and correct as needed. Form the sausage into 12 small patties.

Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels. Place lettuce leaves on individual plates.

Add just enough of the oil to coat the inside of a medium skillet; place over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the sausage patties and cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until they are browned and cooked through. Transfer to the lined plate to drain for a minute or so, then place atop the beds of lettuce on individual plates.

Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

NOTE: To clarify butter, heat it slowly over low heat in a medium saucepan. After it has melted, let it stand for 10 minutes, then use a spoon to skim off the foamy solids on the top. Pour off the clarified butter, leaving the watery residue in the pan. (One cup of unsalted butter should yield 3/4 cup of clarified butter.)

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